Browsed byTag: NYSE: RFP

A recent report by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies shows US home remodelling punches above its weight in the ratio of it’s contribution to US total GDP, compared to new home building.Over 50% of US housing is now over 40 years old and the average price tag is getting a lot bigger, at: US$17,322 in 2017. United States Remodelling Activity: 1Q 2020 Remodelling spending in the United States generated 2.2% of national economic activity in 2017, Harvard researchers…

The latest issue of the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track, for February 2019 – February 2020, shows US lumber production volumes continued previous improvement, this time up by +4.2% over the previous year, to 6,108 mmfbm.February 2019 – February 2020 Canada softwood lumber production has not yet been released by Statistics Canada, but Madison’s would expect it to show similar upward trajectory. USA Softwood Lumber Production: Feb 2020 USA Sawmill Capacity Utilization Rates: Feb 2020 Sawmill production as…

Suppliers of Western SPF commodities in the United States were cautiously optimistic to start the month of May. Both primary and secondary suppliers reported a positive tone to the market. Producers extended the bulk of their sawmill order files into late-May. Sales activity of most commodities was solid, with 2×6 #2&Btr R/L the only item lagging behind slightly in demand early in the week.Rebounding completely from the lows of April, for the week ending May 8, 2020, Western SPF 2×4…

North American construction framing dimension softwood lumber prices last week improved greatly over those one-month-ago, even surpassing what prices were in May 2019. The wholesaler price of benchmark softwood lumber commodity item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir KD 2×4 #2&Btr (RL) last week was US$354 mfbm (net FOB sawmill), catapulting up +$22, or almost +7%, compared to the same week in 2019.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) on May 6 reported total US weekly rail traffic for the week ending May 2, 2020 was 416,954 carloads and intermodal units, down -22% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for that week were 189,190 carloads, down -29% compared with the same week in 2019, while US weekly intermodal volume was 227,764 containers and trailers, down -15% compared to 2019. North American rail volume for the week ending May 2, 2020,…

The full Madison’s Lumber Reporter North America softwood lumber price list will be updated as usual first thing Friday morning Eastern time, however here is a SNEAK PEAK at tomorrow’s benchmark Western Spruce-Pine-Fir (WSPF) prices: After some recovery from steep drops in April last week,The wholesaler price of benchmark softwood lumber item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir KD 2×4 #2&Btr for May 8 shot up +$18 on restricted supply, to US$354 mfbm (net FOB sawmill), from US$336 mfbm last week. The latest weekly…

Improved demand and continued restricted supply last week brought some North American construction framing dimension softwood lumber prices back up to levels of one-month-ago, and indeed to match exactly what prices were at this time last year. The wholesaler price of benchmark softwood lumber commodity item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir KD 2×4 #2&Btr (RL) last week gained +$4, or +1%, compared to the same week in 2019, at US$336 mfbm (FOB sawmill).Suppliers of Western SPF commodities in the United States reported improving…

The US Energy Information Administration recently released its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), forecasting a decline in electricity usage this year. Total US electric power generation is anticipated to drop by 3 per cent in 2020, mostly in the form of fossil-fuel energy production. The report forecasts a 20 per cent decline in coal-fired power generation due to decreasing demand from both domestic and foreign sources. Renewable energy generation is expected to be the fastest-growing source of electrical power in…

Western US sawmills production of softwood lumber down -2.3 percent in January 2020 Western US sawmills produced 1.245 bbf of softwood lumber in January, down -2.3 percent from January 2019 when output was 1.275 bbf, but up +10 percent compared with December 2019’s 1.132 bbf, according to the Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) Coastal mills contributed 758 million board feet (MMbf) to the January total, down -4.8 percent from January 2019’s 797 MMbf but up +7.7 percent from December’s 704…